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Bready or Not: Maple Walnut Cake

Posted by Beth on Sep 10, 2014 in Blog, Bready or Not, cake, clockwork dagger, maple | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Maple Walnut Cake

For the week leading into the release of The Clockwork Dagger, I am presenting the most awesome of cakes.

Three layers. Maple infused every which way. Oh yeah, baby.

My one fear was that sweetness of the cake would be overkill like the way Cadbury eggs are to me now. I’m often asked if a recipe can be modified to omit the nuts. In this case, no. The nuts–in taste and texture–do a lot here to balance out the sweetness. They prevent that overkill.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that since I love maple, that delight has also worked its way into The Clockwork Dagger. Since the geography in my book is loosely modeled on Western Washington state, it’s only right that the country to the north is likewise based on Canada. Frengia is known for its maple production.

[Hrm. Maybe in a year when the sequel comes out, I should do a maple theme for Bready or Not. There’s an idea! Or maybe no one will notice because I do so much maple already…]

If you love maple as I do, this is your epic cake. Print this out. Make it now, or save it for the holidays. Just bake it up at some point.

Brace yourself for the maple-induced ecstasy.

Modified from Maple Walnut Cake at Taste of Home.

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: Maple Walnut Cake

An extraordinary layer cake!

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Keyword: cake, layer cake, maple

Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

THE CAKE [NOT A LIE]

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
3 eggs room temperature
1 teaspoon maple flavor
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk: milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar

CANDIED NUTS:

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt

FROSTING:

2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
5 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavor
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup half-and-half cream or milk
3 + tablespoons maple syrup divided

Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°. Use nonstick spray or butter on three 9-inch round cake pans. Cut out rounds of parchment paper for the bottoms of the pans, then grease the paper.
In a large bowl, cream softened butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and beat well after each addition. Add the maple flavor.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, until everything is just blended.
Pour batter into each prepared pan as evenly as you can. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then gently tip them onto a wire racks. Remove parchment. Cool cake layers completely. [Note: at this point you can even freeze the layers between wax paper, then wrap well in plastic wrap, to assemble the cake days or weeks later.]

To make candied walnuts:

Grab a small cookie sheet or platter and cover it with aluminum foil. Set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the tablespoon of butter. Add nuts and stir over medium heat until toasted, about 5 minutes. Watch the heat, as they can burn fast. Stir in the tablespoon maple syrup and salt; stir for 1 minute longer. Spread the nuts on the foil to cool completely.

For frosting:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Slowly add in confectioners' sugar, maple flavor, salt and enough cream/milk to reach desired consistency. [If it ends up too wet, add more powdered sugar.]
Set out your serving platter. Add a few dabs of frosting; this will be like glue to help your bottom layer stay in place.
Place the cake layer on top. Spread with one cup of frosting. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of candied nuts over the frosting and then drizzle about a tablespoon of maple syrup.
Repeat this with the next layer.
Place the top layer. Frost the very top and sides of cake, then add the remaining nuts and another healthy (ahem) drizzle of maple syrup.

OM NOM NOM and try not to die of sugar coma.

Trade Paperback & eBook

Paperback ISBN: 978-0-06-231384-3

ebook ASIN (Amazon): B00HLIYZ5U

ebook ISBN (Nook): 978-0-06-231385-0
Release: September 16, 2014

Amazon Barnes & Noble Powell’s Books-A-Million Poisoned Pen Changing Hands Mysterious Galaxy

Blog Tour!

Posted by Beth on Sep 9, 2014 in Blog, clockwork dagger, public speaking | Comments Off on Blog Tour!

I’ve been posting about the Clockwork Cookie Tour, but there’s also another blog tour that just started. This one includes Rafflecopter-run giveaway for a copy of my book along with a pretty paper parasol! I’ll repost the schedule over the next while as more links go live. Check it out! Spread the word! Eat cake! Hug kittens!

The Schedule
- 9/8 – YA Bibliophile, post
- 9/9 – Irish Banana, promo post
- 9/10 – Mundie Moms, excerpt
- 9/11- Reads All The Books, review
- 9/12 – YA Sisterhood, guest post
- 9/15 – My, My Shelf & I, excerpt
- 9/16 – Curling Up With A Good Book, guest post
- 9/17 – Fictitious Delicious, Q&A
- 9/18 – Page Turners Blog, review
- 9/19 – Fangirlish, promo post
- 9/22 – Novel Novice, guest post
- 9/23 – Reading Teen, promo post
- 9/24 – Chapter by Chapter, author interview
- 9/25 – Jenuine Cupcakes, promo post
- 9/26 – Good Choice Reading, excerpt

Don’t forget the ongoing giveaway for signed books through Sword & Laser! That runs through Friday.

Timeline to Publication (updated)

Posted by Beth on Sep 8, 2014 in Blog, clockwork crown, clockwork dagger, publication process | 8 comments

How long does it take to traditionally publish a book? Almost three years to the day, in my case. I first posted a version of this back in May but I’ve updated it with more info. If you have any questions on this whole process, just ask.

A note to start: I signed with my agent in March 2011 with another book–one that, unfortunately, did not sell.

2011
September 12th: started writing The Clockwork Dagger
October 27th: completed rough draft

2012
January – July: back and forth dialogue as I worked on major revisions with my agent
Late in year: book goes on submission to publishers
2013
January: first publisher offer on The Clockwork Dagger, soon followed by a second offer
February 22nd: verbal contract with Harper Voyager
not allowed to discuss the book deal in public at all; told very few people
July 3rd: received two-book contract to sign.
July 16th: deal announced in Publisher’s Marketplace. I then shouted it from rooftops.
September 6th: revision letter arrived. Deadline of October 31st.
the big edits; in my case, deleted 10k of 100,000 word book
October 15th: edits mailed in.
November 11th: editor accepted my edits.
December 10th: copyedits arrived, due 23rd.
these are nitpicky edits to clarify things, correct typos and inconsistencies
December 17th: turned in copyedits
Through December and January: back and forth regarding book cover details

2014
January 1-31st: wrote 83k book 2 rough draft
January 29th: page proofs arrived for book 1, due Feb 11th
page proofs are the book formatted for the actual book, but printed on standard computer paper. Only small changes allowed; mostly for typos and formatting, making sure italics are right, etc.
February 4th: mailed page proofs
February: edited book 2 draft, add another 10k
February 20th: found my back cover copy on Goodreads
February 21st: sent in dedication and acknowledgment for book 1
March 3rd: cover posted online

March-April: book 2 critiques, followed by more rounds of revision
April 14th: submitted book 2 to my editor (deadline was June 1st)
July 21st: revision letter for book 2 arrived; deadline of September 1st
August 15th: submitted revised book 2 to editor
also August 15th: two final copies of The Clockwork Dagger delivered to my house